Application settings allow preferences, states, and other characteristics of an application environment to be stored and applied when the user engages with the application environment. A list of most recently used files, custom dictionaries, and viewing preferences are examples of settings that can be applied upon launching an application, such as a word processing, spreadsheet, email, presentation, social networking, or gaming application.
A wide variety of application models exist by which users may experience application environments and content. For example, applications may be installed and executed locally, hosted by web-based platforms, or streamed over networks for local execution, among other techniques. Countless types of computing devices may be used, such as desktop and laptop computers, tablets, netbooks, ultra-books, e-readers, mobile phones, Internet browsing appliances, and gaming consoles.
Settings can be managed across diverse application experiences in a variety of ways. Some solutions provide client programs that monitor for and intercept settings-related calls between application programs and operating system elements. In this manner, settings established by a user on one device can be communicated to other devices accessed by the same user.
With respect to some shared document environments, settings can be applied globally such that each version of a shared document inherits the same settings as every other version. For example, the last page of a shared document accessed by any user can be presented to every other user upon opening the shared document.
Overview
Provided herein are systems, methods, and software for facilitating a roaming settings service. In particular, user-specific settings may roam between instances of applications provisioned according to differing application models.
In one implementation, a roaming settings service receives an update to roaming settings specific to a user that is initiated by an instance of an application program provisioned according to a first application model. Upon receiving a request for the roaming settings specific to the user initiated by an instance of the application program provisioned according to a second application model, the roaming settings service retrieves updated roaming settings that reflect the update to the roaming settings. The settings service transfers the updated roaming settings for delivery to the instance of the application program provisioned according to the second application model.
This Overview is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Technical Disclosure. It should be understood that this Overview is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.